Everything Will Change in Retirement. Get Used To It.

What is the single difference you see between retirees who are happy and those who are not?

MOLLY METTLER: If you are one of those people who say things like, “They’ll have to drag me kicking and screaming….,” good luck. The single biggest factor on whether you’ll experience ongoing happiness in retirement depends upon your adaptability to change.

Your health will change. Your finances will change. Who you spend time with and what you spend your time on, will change. Everythingwill change. If you’re OK with that and can keep adapting to new circumstances, you’ll have a much better chance of sustaining life satisfaction and peace of mind.

I’m not saying it’s easy, just that it’s better and more conducive to happiness than kicking and screaming.

Molly Mettler (@mollykmettler) is senior vice president of mission at Healthwise Inc., a nonprofit founded in 1975 with a mission to help people make better health decisions. She also serves as a fellow with the Center for Advancing Health and the author of books on health care, including “Healthwise for Life.”